Four-time Cup champion Gordon on the back burner

Jeff Gordon displays his award for the front row spot after qualifying for the Daytona 500 race in Daytona Beach, Fla., on Sunday.

AP

By BRENT WORONOFFHalifax Media Group

Published: Sunday, February 17, 2013 at 3:15 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, February 18, 2013 at 12:42 a.m.

DAYTONA BEACH — There was a time when Jeff Gordon's name packed the most punch during Daytona's Speedweeks.

There was a time when Gordon dominated the headlines as well as the competition. Those days may seem like a distant memory for the four-time Cup champion.

On Sunday, Gordon — the Daytona 500 outside pole winner — was a mere afterthought to Danica-mania. And he didn't mind.

“I'm glad I could say I was the fastest guy today,'' Gordon joked after qualifying second behind Patrick with an average speed of 196.292 mph.

Patrick and Gordon were the only two drivers to break 196 mph in a speedy qualifying session. They are also the only drivers to lock into next Sunday's Daytona 500 field.

Gordon understood that the big story was Patrick becoming the first woman to win a Daytona 500 pole and said it was great just to be a part of history, although his link to the historic first was tenuous.

If their positions were reversed — if he had won the pole and Patrick the outside pole — her story would still generate the most attention.

“As popular as she is,'' Gordon noted in his post-qualifying news conference. “She comes into this with a racing background, with a tremendous amount of exposure, momentum, just popularity that we've never seen before, especially from a female driver. For her to then follow that up and start the season with a pole, it's huge. It's big. I'm surprised you're even talking to me right now.

“I'm glad I didn't win the pole, we would have messed that story all up.''

Gordon can now go about his business in near anonymity while Patrick will be surrounded by mobs of cameras throughout the week.

Strange as it may sound, Gordon's laps Sunday were more surprising than those of Patrick, who posted the fastest practice speed the day before.

“The way (Saturday) went, I didn't feel like we had a shot at the pole. So my expectations were kind of low,'' said Gordon, who was 28th fastest in Saturday's morning practice session and 18th in the afternoon session.

And then there was this omen Sunday morning: “Our car fell off the jack onto the jack stand and completely tore our rocker panel off as we were getting ready to pull the car out of the garage,'' Gordon said.

But he said he should know never to doubt his crew chief Alan Gustafson. As soon as his run started he could feel the power, boosted by mighty wind gusts.

“I thought the wind was in our favor. The gusts were huge today,'' Gordon said.

Gordon knows starting in the front row doesn't mean much at Daytona. As long as he can keep his Hendrick Motorsports Chevy out of trouble through Thursday's duels — and not have to go to a backup car — the veteran driver will start second in the Daytona 500 for the third time. On the other occasions he finished 26th (2006) and 28th (2011).

Gordon has won three Daytona 500s (1997, '99 and '05) in his prolific career. There's not much he hasn't accomplished, but there's nothing like a Daytona 500 victory to revive a flagging career.

And to do that, he's content to remain in the shadows this week and learn what he can during track time with the new Generation-6 car.

“There's a lot of things that are going to happen prior to next Sunday,'' he said. “The good thing about being on the front row is that you're locked into the Daytona 500. The downside is you don't want to put your mind in protection mode. If you want to win the Daytona 500, you have to practice like you're going to win the Daytona 500, do everything to prepare yourself and your team to win the Daytona 500.''

<p>DAYTONA BEACH — There was a time when Jeff Gordon's name packed the most punch during Daytona's Speedweeks.</p><p>There was a time when Gordon dominated the headlines as well as the competition. Those days may seem like a distant memory for the four-time Cup champion.</p><p>On Sunday, Gordon — the Daytona 500 outside pole winner — was a mere afterthought to Danica-mania. And he didn't mind.</p><p>“I'm glad I could say I was the fastest guy today,'' Gordon joked after qualifying second behind Patrick with an average speed of 196.292 mph.</p><p>Patrick and Gordon were the only two drivers to break 196 mph in a speedy qualifying session. They are also the only drivers to lock into next Sunday's Daytona 500 field.</p><p>Gordon understood that the big story was Patrick becoming the first woman to win a Daytona 500 pole and said it was great just to be a part of history, although his link to the historic first was tenuous.</p><p>If their positions were reversed — if he had won the pole and Patrick the outside pole — her story would still generate the most attention.</p><p>“As popular as she is,'' Gordon noted in his post-qualifying news conference. “She comes into this with a racing background, with a tremendous amount of exposure, momentum, just popularity that we've never seen before, especially from a female driver. For her to then follow that up and start the season with a pole, it's huge. It's big. I'm surprised you're even talking to me right now.</p><p>“I'm glad I didn't win the pole, we would have messed that story all up.''</p><p>Gordon can now go about his business in near anonymity while Patrick will be surrounded by mobs of cameras throughout the week.</p><p>Strange as it may sound, Gordon's laps Sunday were more surprising than those of Patrick, who posted the fastest practice speed the day before.</p><p>“The way (Saturday) went, I didn't feel like we had a shot at the pole. So my expectations were kind of low,'' said Gordon, who was 28th fastest in Saturday's morning practice session and 18th in the afternoon session.</p><p>And then there was this omen Sunday morning: “Our car fell off the jack onto the jack stand and completely tore our rocker panel off as we were getting ready to pull the car out of the garage,'' Gordon said.</p><p>But he said he should know never to doubt his crew chief Alan Gustafson. As soon as his run started he could feel the power, boosted by mighty wind gusts.</p><p>“I thought the wind was in our favor. The gusts were huge today,'' Gordon said.</p><p>Gordon knows starting in the front row doesn't mean much at Daytona. As long as he can keep his Hendrick Motorsports Chevy out of trouble through Thursday's duels — and not have to go to a backup car — the veteran driver will start second in the Daytona 500 for the third time. On the other occasions he finished 26th (2006) and 28th (2011).</p><p>Gordon has won three Daytona 500s (1997, '99 and '05) in his prolific career. There's not much he hasn't accomplished, but there's nothing like a Daytona 500 victory to revive a flagging career.</p><p>And to do that, he's content to remain in the shadows this week and learn what he can during track time with the new Generation-6 car.</p><p>“There's a lot of things that are going to happen prior to next Sunday,'' he said. “The good thing about being on the front row is that you're locked into the Daytona 500. The downside is you don't want to put your mind in protection mode. If you want to win the Daytona 500, you have to practice like you're going to win the Daytona 500, do everything to prepare yourself and your team to win the Daytona 500.''</p>